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Introduction
Small electric wind turbines for residential or small commercial use have been available for more than three decades. The current technology is highly reliable and converts wind energy into electricity efficiently. Wind turbines for a residential application typically range in electrical output capacity from 500 watts up to 10 kilowatts. These systems are mounted on towers between 60 and 100 feet off the ground and may have blades or rotors, similar to those on an aircraft engine, up to 25 feet in diameter.
For an excellent small wind guide, please see:
Small Wind Electric Systems: An Oregon Consumer's Guide
Land use
Permits are required before installing towers and wind turbines in Oregon. Contact county and local government planning and construction permitting agencies. Do this early on in the process to determine what land use and construction permits you will need for your site and how long those processes take.
Interconnection
You will need electrical building permits. If your system is connected to the utility power grid, you will have to identify the terms and conditions of connecting to your utility's service. Those terms and conditions should cover both installing and connecting your turbine as well as the terms and conditions of any exchange or purchase of power from your wind resource. For more information, see our Web pages relating to interconnection issues.
Net Metering for Small Facilities
In Oregon, your electric distribution utility is obligated to provide a net-metering agreement for wind energy systems of 25-kilowatts capacity or less. The utility may value at its avoided cost the excess power generated by the customer. When the total customer-generation capacity exceeds 0.5% of a utility's historic single-hour peak load, net metering eligibility can be limited by the regulatory authority. The text of the net metering law can be found at:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/03reg/measures/hb3400.dir/hb3477.intro.html
Each of the utilities has a description of its net metering procedure.
Here is information on PGEs and Pacific Power's net metering policies.
For more specific information, contact your local utility for more specifics.
Cost and benefits
You can use this calculator to evaluate the costs and benefits of your wind turbine installation:
http://www.windustry.org/calculator/default.htm
For more information, please review the following resources:
"Apples & Oranges 2002 - Choosing a Home-Sized Wind Generator" (PDF)
Reprinted with permission from Home Power magazine August/Sept 2002 and author Mick Sagrillo. The Oregon Department of Energy makes no guarantee of the accuracy of the information provided and does not endorse any of the products discussed.
Windustry's introduction to wind energy:
http://www.windustry.org/basics/03-knowwind.htm
Permitting Small Wind Turbines: A handbook. Learning from the California Experience.
http://www.awea.org/smallwind/documents/permitting.pdf
The American Wind Energy Association Small Wind section:
http://www.awea.org/smallwind.html
Small wind turbine manufacturers:
http://www.awea.org/faq/smsyslst.html
A Web site for farmer owned wind turbines: http://www.windustry.org/farmer/default.htm
Information from other states on wind energy:
Buying a Small Wind Electric System - A California Consumer's Guide (Feb.2002). www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/marketing and select 2002-04-26 Wind Guide.
Written for Iowa residents, this is generally applicable to our state as well:
http://www.energy.iastate.edu/renewable/wind/wem/wem-01_print.html
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Wind Energy Home
Oregon Wind Working Group
The Oregon Department of Energy makes no guarantee of the accuracy of the information provided and does not endorse any of the products discussed.
How to Develop a Locally Owned Wind Farm (PowerPoint Presentation)
Rural Wind Energy Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Community-Based Wind (PowerPoint Presentation)
A model ordinance for Small Wind Energy Systems for Wisconsin, a state with significant experience with small wind systems
Model Zoning By-Law for Wind Facilities in Massachusetts |
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